9-judge SC bench to hear Sabarimala review pleas

A nine-judge Constitution bench of Supreme Court will hear from January 13, the issue of allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Kerala's Sabarimala temple along with other contentious issues of alleged discrimination against Muslim and Parsi women.

The top court on Monday issued a notice informing listing of petition filed by Indian Young Lawyers Association seeking review of its historic 2018 judgment allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Sabarimala temple.

'Take notice that the following matters will be listed for hearing before a Nine Judges Constitution Bench commencing from Monday the 13th January, 2020,' the notice said.

The names of the nine judges are yet to be announced.

On November 14, last year, a five-judge constitution bench in a 3:2 majority verdict had referred to a larger seven-judge bench, the pleas seeking review of its historic 2018 judgement allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Sabarimala temple.

It had however said that the debate about the constitutional validity of religious practices like bar on entry of women and girls into a place of worship was not limited to the Sabarimala case.

The top court said such restrictions are there with regard to entry of Muslim women into mosques and 'dargah' and Parsi women, married to non-Parsi men, being barred from the holy fire place of an Agyari.

It said that it was time for the apex court to evolve a judicial policy to do 'substantial and complete justice'.